Bhubaneswar, June 18: Three members of a family, including two children, were trampled to death by a herd of elephants at Saladiha village in the Paikamal Range of Bargarh district on Monday night.

The victims have been identified as Pana Bariha, her daughter Sunanda (10), and her son Aditya (3).

Pana’s husband, Bipin, her son Mantu (7), and her father-in-law Jatia were severely injured in the attack and are currently receiving treatment at a hospital, where their condition is reported to be critical.

According to reports, Pana's family was sleeping in the backyard of their house due to the intense heatwave conditions. The elephants, in search of food, strayed into the village and encountered Pana's house, tragically crushing three members of the family to death.

The deaths of Pana and her children have sparked tension in the locality, with police working to calm the irate villagers.

Locals have alleged that the Forest Department failed to inform them about the presence of elephants in the area, which they believe could have prevented the incident.

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